


West Wing Memories: The Bullpen

by A Magiluna Stormwriter (ariestess)



Series: West Wing Memories [1]
Category: The West Wing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Collection: Purimgifts Day 1, Community: purimgifts, Gen, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-13
Updated: 2014-03-13
Packaged: 2018-01-15 14:00:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1307401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariestess/pseuds/A%20Magiluna%20Stormwriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As she prepares to join the Santos administration, Ainsley takes a walk down memory lane.</p>
            </blockquote>





	West Wing Memories: The Bullpen

**Author's Note:**

  * For [seekingferret](https://archiveofourown.org/users/seekingferret/gifts).



> Author's notes to come after the reveal. But thank you to my beta.
> 
> Resources used for Santos administration confirmation and/or speculation:
> 
>   * [Matt Santos: Cabinet officials](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Santos#Cabinet_officials) via Wikipedia 
>   * [Ainsley Hayes](http://westwing.wikia.com/wiki/Ainsley_Hayes) via West Wing Wikia 
>   * [List of characters on _The West Wing_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_characters_on_The_West_Wing) via Wikipedia
> 


Walking through the West Wing elicits a strange mix of elation, trepidation, and melancholy. Very little of it has changed since I was last working here. Really, it's just the people that have changed. The jobs, even the situations they deal with, are pretty constant around here. I knew that when I worked here under President Bartlet. How can I even think that it'll be any different under President Santos?

Yes, of course, there will be differences. Even I'm not so dimwitted as to be the Republican Barbie that Sam and Josh teased me about and think that absolutely nothing has changed. And yet… It wouldn't take much at all to picture it all again as it used to be.

Stepping into the communications bullpen is like taking a step back in time. Ginger's desk is too pristine now, apparently not yet occupied. That, or the person who now uses it doesn't wish any sort of personal decorations at all, and that just seems truly odd to me. There aren't even any folders, papers, or pens out on the desk's slightly scarred surface yet. Very strange.

Glancing up, I can see Toby and Sam's offices. It surprises me that I can feel such nostalgia about one of the two men I most fought with in the Bartlet administration, as well as his direct supervisor. And is it wrong that I miss hearing that rhythmic thumping from Toby Zeigler throwing that damned rubber ball against the wall connecting his office to Sam's? I hated having meetings in Sam's office for that very reason. To this day, I'm not sure what kept me from marching straight into Toby's office and chewing him out for behaving so childishly. But he was brilliant at what he did, so who was I to berate him for his way of processing the words that became President Bartlet's incredible speeches?

But as I stand here, I can feel the familiarity of this place settle over me like a mantle handed down from parent to child. It doesn't matter that I was here under a different administration. I'll do my job to the best of my ability now, just as I did then.

* * *

  
  
[source](http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/special/wwtv.htm)   



End file.
